This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in improved gate-opening and closing assemblies, and, more particularly, to gate-opening and closing assemblies and the method of using the same which shift a gate between an open and a closed position by an actuating lever converting rotary motion into linear motion for movement of the gate.
In recent years, automatic gate and door openers have become popular and have received increased prominence in commercial application. Generally, these automatic gate and door openers operate on the basis of radio transmitter and receiver systems, such that a radio transmitter, when actuated, will generate a particular frequency signal which is sensed by the receiver to automatically operate the gate or door in order to open or close the same. The radio frequency receiver-transmitter system in and of itself is essentially conventional and does not form part of the assembly of the present invention.
However, it has been well established that various forms of gates and doors may be operated by these radio frequency transmitter-receiver systems. In some cases, these radio frequency operable systems operate a gate or door which is swung through an arcuate path from an opened to a closed, and from a closed to an opened, position. In other cases, the gate or door is such that it is designed to shift in a linear path from an opened to a closed, and also from a closed to an opened, position. Thus, for example, in many cases, the gate extends from a wall to a fence, and is shiftable through a linear path from the wall to the fence in order to open and close an opening to permit access and movement through the opening.
In many cases, and particularly with respect to those forms of gate opening and closing assemblies, the opening which permits passage, particularly of vehicles, is fairly large, such that the gate which moves in a linear path must traverse a fairly substantial distance. In order to accommodate the shiftable movement of a gate over a substantial distance through a linear path, mechanical actuating mechanism, which is capable of creating movement over this substantial distance, is also required.
In accordance with the prior art door opening mechanisms, a substantial distance was also required for the actuating mechanism to shift the gate from the closed to the opened, and from the opened to the closed, position. Thus, for example, the gate was connected to a rack bar which was in turn operated by a pinion, and which was in turn rotated through an electric motor upon actuation of a suitable switch mechanism. This form of door opener required a substantially large dimensional rack bar, generally at least equivalent to the length of movement of the door from the closed to the opened position. Other problems which were attendant to the conventional door opening mechanisms generally resided in the drive mechanism which utilized gear drives operated by an electric motor in combination with a rack bar connected to the gate or door. Typically, many of these drive mechanisms utilized a clutch which permitted engagement of the mechanism attached to the door or gate and the cooperating mechanism attached to the motor. These prior art devices were designed such that they did not provide constant and continuous efficient movement of the gate.
The present invention obviates these and other problems in the provision of a gate opening and closing assembly which is uniquely designed so that it converts rotary movement from an electric motor into linear motion which is capable of moving a gate from an opened to a closed position and in which the overall space requirement for the actuating mechanism is substantially less than the required distance of movement of the gate from the opened to the closed position, and from the closed to the opened, position.